Cleansing device for rock drills



July 28,1931. c. c. HANSEN CLEANSING DEVICE FOR ROCK DRILLS Filed June 24.

INVENTOR. tlzavlefidilmscm BY -fl( H15 ATTORNEY;

Patented July 28, 1931 TNUNITED sTArEs PATENT OFFICE CHARLES C. HANSEN, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO INGEBSOLiz-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEYCITY, NEW J'ERSEY A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CLEANSING DEVICE FOR ROCK DRILLS Application filed June 24,

This invention relates to rock drills, but more particularly to a cleansing fluid con- Veying means for rock drills.

Theprimar'y object of the present inven-- tion is to assure the-thorough cleansing of drill holes'of great depth. a 7

Another object of the invention is to simplifyand render more durable devices of this character. 1

Still another object of the invention is to permit ready inspection of the means where- Ibay]cleansing fluid is conveyed to the drilled Other objects willbe in part obvious and in art pointed out hereinafter. p

n the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the invention and in which similar ref erence characters refer to similar parts,'

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drilling mechanism supported by a Wagon mounting and having the invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of a portion of a rock drill equipped with a cleansin fluid conveyin means constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention, and

Figure 3 is a transversevievv taken on'the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings A designates the frame of a wagon which is supported on axles B and 0, each axle carrying a pair of wheels D so that the Wagon may be hauled along a roadway or about the floor of a quarry. A vertical frame E- secured at its lower end to the wagon frame A provides guide'rvays for the saddle F of the rock drill G to direct the rock drill along the intended line of cut in the rock H; The frame E may be braced by one or more struts J.

The rock drill G operates upon a drill steelK which may be of the Leyner type and accordingly is shown provided With lateral lugs L. The drill steel K extends into the front head 0 of the rock drill and the lugs L are engaged by 21 Chuck P in the front head 0 and which may be rotated by suitable rotation mechanism (not shown) whereby rotation of the chuck will cause rotation of the drill steel.

1930. Serial No. 4 3,429.

Ordinarily .in drilling down holes the weight of the drilling ap 'aratus. is sufli= c ient to maintain the bit Q o the drill steel K firmly against the rock. Means are pro vided for quickly elevating the drilling apparatus upon the completion of a cut and such means may include a power hoist R mounted on the frame A and operatively connected to the saddle F by a cable S. cable is shown trained over a guide sheave T rotatably' mounted at the upper end of the frame E.

In deep hole drilling operations drill steels of unusually large diameter are employed and since the drill hole is therefore of considerable diameter the force of a blast of cleansing fluid applied in the usual manner is soon dissipated. Hence, difliculty is experienced in removing the cuttings from the drill hole as it becomes deeper.

In accordance with the present invention the cleansing fluid is conveyed to the bottom of the drill hole'by a tubular member or pi e U whichencircles the drill steel and eX- tends from a point near the front head to it point preferably near the bit Q. The pipe U has a branch V communicating therewith which serves as the inlet pipe forconveying cleansing fluid to the pipe U. Accordingly the i e V is shown connected as by means of a clamp W to a conduit X, which in turn may be connected to any suitable source of cleansin fluid. It has been found ractical to connect the conduit X to the exhaust port of the rockdrill but I do not intend to limitthe invention to this construction nor to the usev of any articular source of cleansing fluid. v

Cleansingfluid conveyed by the conduit X passes through the branch V into the pipe U and from thence it passes to the bottom of the drill hole to dislodge the cuttings from around the bit Q. The cuttings are forced upwardly through the space between the pipe U and the wall of the drill hole to the surface. The space Within the interior of the pipe U forming. the channel for incomin cleansing fluid and the space about the eriphery of the pipe U fornnng the channel for outgoing cleansing fluid and cuttings lllD may be varied by selecting pipes U of different sizes but are preferably somewhat restrictive so that the cleansing fluid flowing therethrough will be maintained at a suitably high velocity to remove all cuttings from the drill hole.

' In order to prevent the escape of cleansing fluid at the upper end of the pipe U a tube Y is fitted with its ends over the upper end of the pipe U and over the forward extremity of the front head 0. This tube may consist of rubber or like impervious materia possessing the additional property of flexibility. In the preferred construction the tube Y is secured to the upper end of the pipe U and to the forward extremity of the front head 0 by clamps Z and b respectively. The adjacent ends of the pipe U and front head 0 are shown flared outwardly to prevent the clamps Z and b from sliding thereover.

The clamp I) may comprise a pair of half sections 0 and d adapted to be drawn together about the front head 0 by bolts 6 extending through both members 0 and d. The clamp Z may be similar in all essential respects to clamp b and also consist of a pair of members which are adapted to be drawn together about the pipe U to rigidly secure the tube Y thereto.

The clamp Z is preferably connected to the clamp Z) by flexible means, as for instance, cables 7 of. sufficient strength to transmit the full weight of the pipe U and the associated cleansing fluid conveying means to the front head 0. The ends of the cables f are shown inserted into laterally extending ears 9 and h on the clamps Z and Z) respectively, and are secured therein by any suitable means. It is intended that the tube Y shall be relieved of the weight of the pipe U and that the same shall be carried solely by the cables f.

In assembling the device the cables f may first be secured in the ears 9 and it thus joining each half section of the clamp b to the clamp Z. One end of the tube Y is then forced over the end of the pipe U and clamped thereto by the clamp Z. lVith the rock drill in its lowered position the tube Y may be flexed and the free end thereof passed over the forward extremity of the front head and clamped thereto by the clamp b. The con duit W may then be connected to branch V thus completing the assembly of the cleansing fluid conveying means. It is intended that the cleansing fluid conveyin apparatus remain connected to the rock drill during movement of the truck since in the elevated position of the rock drill the pipe U is clear of the ground.

With the rock drill in its lowered position and the pipe V brought to a substantially horizontal position which is made possible by the flexibility of cables 7 and tube Y, the drill steel K may be readily inserted into the pipe U. Then upon elevating the rock drill, the pipe U and drill steel K may be carried into alignment with the rock drill and the drill steel inserted into the front head 0 and engaged by the chuck preparatory to the drilling operation.

Upon completion of the drilling operation the drilling apparatus is elevated until the bit Q of the drill steel K is above the level of the ground. The drill steel K may then be freed from the chuck and lowered until its upper end is clear of the front head 0. Lowering the rock drill while simultaneously swinging the pipe U laterally will permit the drill steel to be readily removed from the pipe.

I claim:

1. In a rock drill, the combination of a front head and a drill steel extending into the front head, a tubular member encircling the drill steel and adapted to convey cleansing fluid into the drill hole to remove cuttings therefrom, a flexible tubular member encircling the adjacent ends of the front head and the first said tubular member and forming a fluid tight connection between the first said tubular member and the front head, spaced means for securing the flexible tubular member to the adjacent ends of the front head and the first tubular member, and flex- 1 ible means connecting said spaced means for transmitting the weight of the first said tubular member to the front head.

2. In a rock drill, the'combination of a front head and a drill steel extending into the front head, a tubular member encircling the drill steel and adapted to convey cleansing fluid into the drill hole to remove cuttings therefrom, a flexible tubular member encircling the adjacent ends of the front head and the first said tubular member, clamps for securing the flexible tubular member to the front head and the first said tubular member, and flexible cables connecting the clamps whereby the weight of the first said tubular member is supported by the front head.

3. In a rock drill, the combination of a front head and a drill steel extending into the front head, a tubular member encircling thedril] steel and extending to a point adj acent the cutting bit thereof, a flexible tubular member having its ends encircling the adjacent ends of the front head and the first said tubular member and forming a fluid tight connection between the first said tubular member and the front head, spaced clamps encircling the ends of the flexible tubular member for securing said flexible tubular member to the said adjacent ends of the front head and the first tubular member, a fluid connection opening through the wall of the first said tubular member for conveying cleansing fluid to the first said tubular member whereby such cleansing fluid Will be di- U rected into the drill hole, and flexible cables having their ends secured to the clamps and extending between the front head and the first said tubular member for supporting the first said tubular member and the connection. 4. In a rock drill, the combination of a front head and a drill steel extending into CHARLES C. HANSEN. 

